2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Tuesday               March 2, 2005

Houston City Council

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Bayou Vista Board of Aldermen

The Bayou Vista Board of Aldermen on Tuesday voted to approve a Writ of Election and the appointment of an election judge and alternate judge for the general election on May 7. 

The board of aldermen voted to transfer funds from the contingency fund in the 2004-2005 Fiscal Year Budget to supplement the salary of Emergency Management Coordinator Brenda Loewen for her additional responsibilities.

The board of aldermen voted to approve a revision to the city building code for better organization and easier retrieval of information. 

The board of aldermen approved a resolution supporting state legislation that would provide for reductions in the property tax appraisal cap, which will reduce the burden on homeowners caused by rapidly escalating appraisal values.

All other agenda items were approved.  All votes were unanimous.

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Clear Lake Shores City Council

Clear Lake Shores City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve Economic Development Corporation funding up to $12,000 for new safety doors at City Hall. 

The city council voted 4-1, with Vern Johnson opposed, to approve the waterfront lease rental rate for a two-year period, starting August 1. 

The city council voted unanimously to approve an ordinance rezoning the east side of East Shore Drive between Deep Hole Park and Birch Road from A-1 zoning to Residential zoning. 

The city council voted 4-1, with Bill Kielman opposed, to award a bid and to transfer waterfront easement E123. 

All other agenda items were unanimously approved. 

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Seabrook City Council

Seabrook City Council on Tuesday voted 4-2, with Jack Boteler and Larry Bonnin opposed, to sponsor Texas port security legislation.  The city council will work with State Representative John Davis to support a state background check bill that will strengthen port security.

The city council voted unanimously to direct the fire and EMS committee to review the actions of the Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department from a managerial perspective. 

Council Member Mike Laible suggested an audit of the fire department in light of the sexual assault charges filed against fire fighter Joshua David Burke. 

"I feel it is our responsibility to make sure checks and balances are in place," Laible said.  "I feel this is serious, and I think we need to get an inside look into this situation." 

Fire Chief Ray Cook commented on Laible's request for an managerial audit. Listen  Download

The city council voted 4-2, with Boteler and Bonnin opposed, to approve an amendment to the city code that would require that wetland mitigation be performed in Seabrook.

The policy will require that for the issuance of a city fill permit, wetlands mitigation within the City of Seabrook will be required in addition to any mitigation required by the Army Corps of Engineers.

The city council voted unanimously to table two ordinances amending the city code to regulate marina improvements, electrical requirements for marinas and marina site requirements after Stephen Jacobs, attorney for the marinas, requested several changes to the ordinances. Listen  Download

Council members stated that the planning and zoning commission should review the changes prior to a council vote.

The city council voted unanimously to table an ordinance amending the city code to add condominiums as a conditional use in a water activity zoning district.  The city council requested that city planners review the ordinance. 

The city council voted 5-1, with Boteler opposed, to re-open the interview process to hire a new port project manager. 

The city council voted 4-2, with Boteler and Laible opposed, to approve $2,500 in promotional advertising from the Economic Development Corporation budget for the American Cancer Society's Silver Dollar Ball on April 2. 

The city council tentatively set the date for the groundbreaking for the new firehouse at 1850 East Meyer Road for April 16. 

A resolution to oppose Senate Bill 496, which would validate or legalize actions of the port or navigation district, and a request to increase the city council's expense checks were pulled from the agenda.

All other agenda items were unanimously approved.  Council Member Rick Sammons was absent. 

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Webster City Council

Webster City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve a tax freeze for residential property owners who are disabled or at least 65 years years of age. 

The city council voted 6-1, with Jack Temple opposed, to authorize Mayor Donna Rogers to sign an agreement with the City of Nassau Bay under which the City of Webster will provide detention facilities and dispatch services to Nassau Bay's public safety department. 

Council Member Carlos Villagomez requested that the media be notified of the agreement with Nassau Bay.

The city council voted unanimously to award a bid to Brinkman Roofing for $35,811 to re-roof the recreation and swimming pool buildings at the Webster Civic Center.  Bids were opened on January 12. 

The city council voted 4-1-2, with Temple and Floyd Myers opposed and Mel Donehue abstaining, to approve the current "Linked to the Future" emblem as the official seal of the City of Webster. 

All other agenda items were unanimously approved.  

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Harris County Hazardous Waste Collection

Harris County will host a free household hazardous waste collection event on Saturday, March 12 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hockley Community Center at 28515 Old Washington Road in Hockley.

The event will give Harris County citizens a chance to clean out their garages while helping the environment.  Residents are encouraged to properly dispose of out-of-date hazardous items by bringing them to the community center. 

Acceptable hazardous waste items include paint products, yard chemicals, automotive products, household cleaners, batteries and tires.

For additional information, contact Gail Brady Moncla at (713) 290-3086.

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Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens

Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens will display "Art in the Garden," a display of found object sculptures by American industrial folk artist Andre Gandin, through Thursday, March 31, at 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, one mile north of FM 1960. 

Whimsical flowers and exotic birds, insects and other animals created from scrap metal can be found hiding in the gardens.  Gandin sculpts each piece to its unique form and paints or polishes the metal to bring out individual characters. 

"To me, it is the defining moment when you see something that came out of the scrap heap heading for the living room," Gandin said. 

All of Gandin's pieces will be for sale, and a price list will be available in the visitor's center.  Photos will be available upon request. 

Gandin's work may be viewed online at www.sunsetgallery.net. For additional information or for special assistance, call (281) 443-8731.

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AHA Black Tie & Boots Gala

The American Heart Association will honor Hetta “Peaches” Kempner at the Ninth Annual Black Tie & Boots Gala to be held Saturday, March 5, at the Davidson Ballroom at the corner of Mechanic and 24th Street in Galveston.

Kempner will be honored for her dedication to educating women on heart disease and the importance of recognizing early symptoms.  

For National Women’s Health Week, Kempner wrote a guest column for the Galveston County Daily News sharing her personal experience with heart disease, saying the disease made her feel like “an elephant was standing on my chest.” 

She explained although heart disease is typically associated with men, it is just as prevalent with women. Women may experience heart attacks differently from men, she said.

“It is shocking to know that diseases of the heart kill more women than every kind of cancer, including breast, ovarian, and lung cancers," Kempner said.  "It is not easy to convince yourself to go to the emergency room.  If I had not gone to the emergency room with those pains, I would not be here now.  I wrote about my personal experience because we need to be more informed about what a heart attack can feel like.”

Kempner is married to Harris “Shrub” Kempner, and she is the proud mother of two sons, Branch and Randall.   

The Saturday event will include dinner, dancing to The Line Up and a silent auction.  For ticket information on the Black Tie & Boots Gala, please call Mary Jo Naschke at (409) 762-3930.

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Galveston Island Beach Soccer Tournament

The Galveston Park Board of Trustees, Beach Patrol and Del Papa Distributing will hold the first annual Beach Soccer Tournament, Fiesta de Agua on Sunday, March 20 and Sunday, March 27 at East Beach in Galveston. 

The tournament will continue on April 3 and April 10. 

The tournament, coordinated by Bob Yampey of the Texas State Soccer Association South and Bay Area Soccer League, is in conjunction with the water safety campaign, aimed at the Latino community. 

The tournament will have three divisions: men's, women's and co-ed.  Each team of eight players or less will play a minimum of three games, competing in a round-robin or winner consolation bracketing format. 

Cash and prizes totaling $5,000 will be awarded. 

Anheuser Busch, Inc. Latino Marketing and Community Relations and Del Papa Distributing Co. will coordinate entertainment with various bands to play each Sunday at the end of each tournament.  They will provide signage and consumer awareness information to the public through billboards along the I-45 corridor heading onto the island and print material that will be distributed to area accounts.

Univision, the leading U.S. Spanish-language media company, is taking an active role in this campaign by providing on-air radio support prior to the tournament.  During the tournament, Univision Radio will provide on-site support by rotating stations KOVE, KRTX and KQBU each week.  Stations will provide DJ appearances, prizes, games, and inflatables for the event. 

Galveston’s Water Safety Campaign has been in place for two years and has actively encouraged the Latino community to practice beach safety awareness.

The soccer tournament will reach the Latino community by incorporating safety education into a favorite pastime. 

The campaign’s focus is to convey beach awareness and water safety with 10 tips to ensure a safe experience at Galveston's beaches.  The tips include, but are not limited to: swim near a lifeguard, never swim alone, obey warning signs and flags, and understand and avoid rip currents and dangerous areas.  The tips will be on billboards, brochures and posters and will be provided in both English and Spanish.

For more information about the “Fiesta de Agua” tournament, contact Bob Yampey at (281) 479-8221 or visit www.galvestonbeachsoccer.com.  For further information on the Water Safety Campaign, contact Vic Maceo at (409) 763-4769 or visit www.galvestonbeachpatrol.com.   

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Rabbi Henry Cohen Humanitarian Award

The Rabbi Henry Cohen Humanitarian Award Committee is seeking nominations from the Galveston community for the 26th annual award.   

The award seeks to perpetuate the memory of Rabbi Cohen, a noted humanitarian, while recognizing the efforts of a contemporary individual whose actions have led to the betterment of life for others.  

Any person or organization may propose the name of a deserving nominee by submitting a letter to Temple B’Nai Israel, 3002 Avenue O, Galveston, Texas 77550.   

The deadline for submitting nominations is 5:00 p.m. on March 25, 2005.   The award ceremony will be held at the Rosenberg Library on Thursday, April 7^th at 5:00 p.m.

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Scheduled Meetings
Meetings will be held in the regular meeting place of the city council or other governmental body, unless otherwise specified.

Today, March 2
4:00 Galveston West End Land Use Policy Committee, City Hall Room 204
4:00 Galveston Arts and Historic Preservation Advisory Board, City Council Chambers
4:30 Texas City City Commission Workshop 
5:00 Texas City City Commission 
6:00 Galveston Independent School District Board of Trustees Special Meeting, Lovenberg Administration Building Library 
7:30 Taylor Lake Village City Council 

Thursday, March 3 
9:00 North Galveston County Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting for ARI Construction, 1302 Greenbriar, Friendswood
5:30 Houston Airport System Public Information Workshop, Humble Civic Center, 8233 Will Clayton Parkway
7:00 Kemah Community Development Corporation 
7:00 Bay Area Writers League, Barnes and Noble, Bay Area Boulevard at I-45.  Author Cindy Price will speak on "POD People: What you need to know when working with a Print on Demand publisher." 
8:00 Nunsense, The east-end theatre company, etc., Galveston 
8:00 Same Time, Next Year, Bay Area Harbour Playhouse, 3803 Highway 3, Dickinson

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Gulf Coast E-news, published by Guidry News Service, provides comprehensive coverage of posted public meetings in Galveston, Harris and Jefferson Counties as well as regional news impacting the Upper Texas Gulf Coast.

Jim and Lynda Guidry are publishers of Gulf Coast E-news and The Online News Station.

Jim Young is Houston City Correspondent.  Dana Patricia Burke is the Bay Area Houston Correspondent. Chuck Lawrence is Galveston City Correspondent.  Carl Guidry covers events in Jefferson County.  Anita Donatto covers the education beat in Galveston.  

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